(CNN) — Barack Obama appears to be holding on to a significant edge in Iowa in new poll numbers released this weekend, but his advantage over John McCain in Minnesota, which hosted the Republican convention earlier this month, seems to have evaporated.

Obama, who won the Iowa caucuses in January, has 52 percent of the vote in that state to McCain’s 40 percent among likely voters in a Des Moines Register poll conducted September 8-10. A CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted August 31-September 2, during the GOP convention, showed a 15-point advantage for Obama, 55 to 40 percent over McCain.

But in Minnesota, where McCain accepted the GOP nomination this month, Obama’s 12-point edge in the last CNN/Time/ORC survey – also conducted during the Republican convention - has disappeared in a new Star Tribune survey: that poll finds both men tied at 45 percent each among likely voters, with 10 percent unsure.

During the convention, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said he thought his state "would be open to a candidate like Senator McCain" - but added that he believed "Democrats still have an advantage here."

Both surveys have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

soundoff(488 Responses)

as the election gets closer we are starting to see how far mccain's campaign will go in telling lies and it's sad that people in minnesota are falling for them.

September 14, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

fay

This response is to the stupid ani who will vote for 4 more years struggle for americans because he does not like OBAMA. The future will be decided based on rational not emotional. Stupid ignorant people who wants to destroy their country.

September 14, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Misha

McCain and his VP at least have a record of doing something
Obama is just demagoge do nothing, in all his years in Congress what has he done, what laws he has vote on .Present does not mean a thing. What makes people believe he will do anything but fill his pockets along with his clonies, Just look at the africans in power all over Africa, a bunch of thiefs, corrupts that have the people starving. And they look like faten pigs while the rest of the people look like sticks.
I was for Clinton but will never vote democrat again.
GO MCAIN

September 14, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

tennisguypitt

Fellow Obama Supporters:

It's early, polls can and WILL fluctuate throughout the election process. This isn't surprising. This is why I don't rely on polls.

To McCain/Palin Supporters

See above.

Obama/Biden '08

September 14, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

YVONNE

I am a chritiian and I am appealing to all christians. .....Lets"talk about abortion. Obama does not want you to have abortions but he is wise to know that our daughters,our sons, our nieces, our nephews ,our cousins, our friends our neighbours, may be faced with this challenge. ... We as parents are not always aware of what is going on. KIDS DO THEIR OWN THING WHETHER WE BELIEVE IT OR NOT. Therefore, would you prefer for your love ones to go to some dirty hidden facility to have an abortion if they so choose and risk getting infection that can now cause their deaths? OR do you prefer a clean and safe enviroment? I do believe that OBAMA is trying to protect your love ones from POTENTIAL DEATH . Yes why the men.... They pressure most of the girls to go down this path. OBAMA SHOWS WISDOM IN HIS DECISIONS. VOTE FOR HIM .

September 14, 2008 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

Vic

We elected John McCain's republicans for the past eight years; now, we see where we are as a nation. We are in trouble on all the issues that we face. Now, we are seeing that people put these republican bums ahead in the polls so they can tear up the nation some more.

Republican voting for Obama/Biden 08

September 14, 2008 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

matthew.a.a

America politics is all about race, imagin advance as america is still blind to see that mccain has not define his economy plan, and media and citizens of the land are moving along without know anything about mccain ecomomy plan"" Is A shame....... obama 08

September 14, 2008 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Stephanie Mpls, MN

I am not sure who the Strib polled, but the atmosphere is the same here as it has always been–VERY Blue! Unless they only polled those rednecks out in the sticks who can't admit that they won't vote for a black man, no matter how much better of a candidate he is. They probably weren't thrilled with McCain before, but are more so with the addition of Palin. Photo of her with a big gun...."now that's my kinda broad!" We are a pretty enlightened bunch here, but we still have our hicks in the sticks as well. My guess is that the upswing in repubs will settle down and Obama will prevail as expected here.

September 14, 2008 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Rich

Take what the polls say with a grain of salt. I know many in this country of ours are idiotic enough to vote against their own interests but the polls mean nothing. A McCain victory only means a nail in the coffin for the great US of A. Don't be fooled people!

September 14, 2008 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Oregon4Obama

THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT THE ISSUES....
This is the American President we are voting for not American Idol

McCain's ads are false and disgusting.....even Karl Rove said they are LOW.....

I dont believe this......the two ideals these men share are totally opposite.....McCain wants to cut more taxes for the rich hoping they will help those beneath them......he is going to make huge tax cuts on borrowed money
McBush's healthcare agenda is to incentivize private healthcare over group healthcare by giving, guess what, a tax incentive....if you have a pre-existing condition your company will benefit from not giving group coverage......so dont ever get sick with mccain as prez
He has no plan for education becuase he cant afford it.......

Barack Obama's plans are fiscally responsible and will help all of us

September 14, 2008 05:13 pm at 5:13 pm |

Prema

The world is totally baffled by how close this race is: it is inconceivable that the American voter would want a person who describes herself as a "hockey mom" as the next in line for the White House. For goodness sake, why? How are world leaders ever going to respect America again?
It makes the US vulnerable from a security point of view – not to even mention the economy and environment!
America has a chance to redeem the last 8 years. If the Republicans come in, those who voted them in will deserve what they get: more jobs lost, more houses lost, wars in even more countries they have no chance of winning and a President that has no respect in the world.

September 14, 2008 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |

Jay

Hey!McCain has electoral ADVANTAGE do not fool yourself.

When “leaners” are included, it’s Obama 259, McCain 247.

September 14, 2008 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |

Obama/Biden 08!

Electoral-Vote.com has Obama 268 Mccain 270 and he's only ahead of Obama by 1-2 pts in 3 swing states Mccain's bumped is fizzling!!

Obama/Biden 08!

September 14, 2008 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |

Wayne

Polls do have a way of keeping the public interested and also gives the media something to talk about. I need someone to tell me how to get on the polling list. I've never been polled in my 25 years of being able to vote.

September 14, 2008 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

bchange

I am amazed at the fact that McCain has been able to take Obama’s lead in the polls. Who are they polling? Anyone who still insists that McCain is the best qualified to lead our country must fall under one of these groups: Far right conservatives, racists and people who don’t understand or care about the issues our country is currently facing.

Reasons why the McCain/Palin team is the worst thing that could happen to our country:

Both candidates lack of integrity. Merriam-Webster Definition: Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.

McCain’s multiple infidelities while married to his first wife Carol, his continued misrepresentation of the facts and right down lies about Obama’s record and policies, lies and misrepresentation of Palin’s real record and experience, his lobbyist friends who are running his campaign, it goes on and on and on. Even McCain’s wife does not trust him, otherwise, why would she had insisted on a prenuptial agreement that denies McCain any access to her money? If she trusts him as a person and believes on his honesty, why would she need a prenuptial agreement?

McCain is trying to win our votes by drilling into the minds of the American people, his experience as a POW, and while at the same time running a very dishonest campaign, which takes away the honor of that sacrifice. And now Rove of all people is openly criticizing McCain for misrepresenting the truth on his ads against Obama.

Palin is no better than McCain; she has consistently lied about her own record, her hiring of lobbyist, her knowledge of foreign affairs, her use and misuse of earmarks, etc. Her interview with ABC really scared me. According to the FBI, Alaska is the first in the nation, per capita, for rapes, and second for murder of women by men. Then there is the well publicized state Senate committee's investigation of Palin. The McCain campaign has launched an attack on its credibility, saying four of its members are Democrats supporting Obama, but they failed to mention that the other 10 members of the committee are Republicans.

McCain's health is an issue of grave concern for all Americans, regardless of political persuasion. If McCain wins this election, given the fact that he has been treated for an invasive melanoma and other maladies, there is a very good chance that at some point in the near future Palin will be running our country. If that doesn’t worry you than I don’t know what will.

McCain has said that this race is about personalities and how much the candidates are liked by the voters; he refuses to discuss issues, and is using Palin to attract women voters. Does he think that women are stupid? I hope Americans’ wake up before it’s too late.

September 14, 2008 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

Anonymous

The reason Palin has an 80%approval rating in Alaska is because if you do your research, most of them only have a tenth grade education. If she gave me a check for $1,200.00, I would like her too if I lived there. Someone who worked for her said she wasn't qualified, so why has the rest of America embraced her? As lobbyist, Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager stated, this election is not about the issues, so what does that tell you? All of you bigots make me sick!

September 14, 2008 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

Maggie

The Obama supporters are having a fit. They are seeing his lead totally gone and McCain/Palin are moving ahead. You read the panic in their blogs and desperation because their candidate is flaking like old paint off a wall. I am so happy to see this because you nasty Obama supporters gave a Hillary Clinton a hard time and now Obama is back begging Bill and Hillary Clinton to save him from his losing. Well, its too late now so get ready to crawl back into your holes when McCain and Pail win. in November.

GOOD TO SEE A WOMAN BEING REPRESENTED ON THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET AS VP FOR THE REPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September 14, 2008 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

Akanni

How do you think they go about estimating the electoral votes? It's all done by polls. That is why it is so stranget that Obama supporters are willing to use polling if it shows their candidate ahead but dismiss it if it shows Obama losing. I also hear people talking about adults under 30 use cell phones not landlines so they are not counted and they will surprise in Nov. Well, the polls have been very correct up to this point and I do not see that changing. If a candidate is leading by 7 or more points in polling it is very unlikey that it will change on election day. Things do not look good for Obama not because of polling but because of momentum. McCainis not only holding his bump but he is expanding it. I hope he goes after California. I honestly think he can win there he is only behind by 13 there.

September 14, 2008 05:18 pm at 5:18 pm |

Daniel

The stupid polls are giving them confidence. Thats why they wont stop the lies.Even today 9/14/08 Palin is still insisting she was against the bridge to nowhere when there is ohysical and video evidence that its a LIE. The are making headway with the LIES and Negativity and if we let them continue with these LIES, then they will win on LIES and does that say about us as a people.

September 14, 2008 05:19 pm at 5:19 pm |

proud_american

Fellow Americans, those unemployed (~15 million), those who lost their loved ones in Iraq (~4500) ask yourself these questions:

Bush administration sqandered our money (almost close to one TRILLION dollars) on a war that was not warranted. Did you know for every billion dollars invested at home you could create 20 thousand jobs each earning $50,000? Can you every get back your loved ones? Do you wish to elect the same people who have backed Bush 90% of the time?

Ths choice is clear. We need change and we need someone who can understand kitchen table issues, and not who doesn't even how many homes he owns!

God bless America. Go Obama-Biden 08!

September 14, 2008 05:19 pm at 5:19 pm |

CLS in VT

OMG I just Googled "lies"> This is what came up at top:
"Related searches: palin lies mccain lies lies quotes why people lie "

September 14, 2008 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |

Michelle

I happy to announce that my grandmother, whose husband died in the Korean war, raised five girls single handedly without one becoming pregnant before graduating high school. I want to commend my mother for doing the same. She raised three girls who all graduated high school without getting pregnant. Then, there is me. After my divorce, I found myself having to raise two children alone. Thank God, I was able to get my daughter through high school without getting pregnant, and we all grew up on the Southside of Chicago. It's called parenting. We worked full-time jobs, yet managed to find the time to instill in our daughters the complications of raising children alone. If Palin can't control her own daughter, with the aid of a husband, why should I believe she has the ability to lead this country into anything except further turmoil?

September 14, 2008 05:21 pm at 5:21 pm |

sarahinfla

This is not rocket science....... Either you want more of the same...

Or you want change, there's no true way to know what either side will do once they are in office. McCain we know is more in line with Pres. Bush than Sen. Obama is... All these side issues are just that distractions, McCain keeps avoiding the real issues all McCain wants to do is play dirty politics.

Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden both have seen more national security data than Gov. Palin could ever digest ..

September 14, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |

Peter (CA)

As an Obama supporter, the numbers are concerning to me.
I am hoping that this is just the Palin hype and when people get over the fact that she is a "fresh face", they will see that her positions are not what most Americans want.

That being said, we need Minnesota, we need Wisconsin, we need Michigan, we need Pennsylvania, we need New Mexico, and we need Colorado to clinch this thing. If looking like we're behind gets all the Obama supporters out, well, then that is a good thing.

September 14, 2008 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |

SCOTT

IF YOU ARE A PROGRESSIVE AND DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DARK AGES YOU WILL VOTE FOR TO HLEP MOVE THIS COUNTRY FORWARD.

EU, RUSSIA AND CHINA GETS STRONGER AS CONSERVATIVE PARTY (REPUBLICANS) FIGHT TO KEEP THIS COUNTRY FROM PROGRESSING WITH OLD PARTY VALUES. JOIN TH E PROGRESSIVE PARTY TO MOVE AMERICA FOWARD.